Obituary: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin: William F. OPITZ ************************************************************************ Submitted by Mary Saggio, August 2007 © All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************************************ The Weekly Star June 24 1882 Port Washington DIED -- At his home in the town of Grafton, on Friday night June 16th, 1882, Hon. Wm. F. OPITZ, in the 67th year of his age. Mr. OPITZ was a native of Saxony, Germany, born in 1816. In 1839 he emigrated to the United States settling in the town of Mequon in August of that year. He bought here from the government 160 acres of land, to which he added 146 more purchased from owners who had made partial improvements. This tract of land is half a mile south of the village of Thiensville. With him came his wife, father, mother, sister and brother-in-law, Hon. Adolph ZIMMERMANN. This was when all the country round was known as the "town of Washington" Milwaukee County, and embraced all of Washington and Ozaukee counties as now organized. The town of Mequon was incorporated by an act of the territorial legislature in January, 1846, and the first town meeting in the following April. The whole vote case was 140, and Mr. OPITZ was one of the officers elected, that of Collector. In 1848, he was elected Pound- keeper. In 1857, in partnership with Mr. ZIMMERMANN, he built the Mequon Brewery, and was connected with the same until 1859. In 1866, he purchased a farm of 200 acres in section one in the town of Grafton, about one mile south of the village of Saukville, to which he moved and where he resided until his death. In 1860, he was elected Member of Assembly and with William H. RAMSEY represented the county in that branch of the legislature. In 1862, he was elected Sheriff holding the office for the years 1863-4. In 1868-9 and '72 he was elected chairman of the town of Grafton, and during the latter year, acted as the member of the County Board from his town, the present system having supplanted the old commissioner system. In 1873, the Old Settlers Club was organized and Mr. OPITZ elected President of the society. In September, 1874, he delivered the annual address which he closed with the following sentiment: "We all have now arrived at the age when we may safely say that we no longer look with an ardent hope into the future. This is the exclusive enjoyment of youth. When we were young we looked to the future, but now our lives are all made up in the recollections of the past, and in this is the very charm of our gathering to relate to each other to the listening young generation our enjoyment as well as our hardships and adventures in first settling this part of the country. May you all live long to enjoy future meetings of this group and this mutual story telling. Too many old settlers have left us already for, it is hoped, a better world where no chopping or clearing away of trees or getting stuck in the mud with teams ought to be our lot, for we had plenty of it here below." In 1876-7-8, he was elected one of the Vice-presidents of the Co. Agricultural Society, in 1881 its treasurer, and at the annual meeting last January, one of the Executive Committee. Mr. OPITZ was a Mason, his membership being with the lodge at Cedarburg, which with members from other lodges, attended his funeral, and buried him with the solemn and impressive ceremonies of the Order at Mequon. Mr. OPITZ was a vigorous, pushing, persistent, plain, blunt, outspoken, impulsive, honest man, positive in convictions and their advocacy, active and prompt in what he undertook and for these very qualities respected and honored by his fellow citizens. For the past year or two, he gave evidence of breaking down, and last winter, this fact was so apparent that everybody, himself included, could see the end coming. Nearly the whole winter he was confined to the house with rheumatism, but in the spring recovered sufficiently to get about again, and was in this city only a short time before he died. His last illness was short, but quick in its work. Thus has passed to the beyond one of the earliest pioneers of Ozaukee county, whose departure is regretted by all who knew him.